Alicia Keys: I’m NOT Anti-Makeup

Don’t get it twisted: Alicia Keys is not here to tell you to stop wearing makeup.

The 15-time Grammy award winner (yes, you read that right) went completely bare-faced last year — on TV, on social media, everywhere. The public’s response was mostly positive, partly because Keys’ perfect skin is nearly inhuman, but also because they lauded her for not giving in to societal standards of beauty

But she also got some flack, because the internet is like that, and also because many thought it was a judgmental act by the singer, meant to impose her beliefs on others. But Keys is not her to judge you.

She explained to Allure,

“I think makeup can be self-expression. I have no intention to shame anyone at all [who chooses to wear it]. No one should be ashamed by the way you choose to express yourself. And that’s exactly the point.”

She added,

“I am all about a woman’s right to choose. I think a woman should do anything she wants as it relates to her face, her body, her health. Whatever mode of expression that empowers you, that’s what you should do. What I am not down for is this ridiculously high, unrealistic expectation about appearance that we as women are held to.”

We are all for it! And we particularly love that she is opening up about her ideas of beauty to Allure, aka the makeup magazine. How perfect?

Lena Finkel is the Editor and Founder of Femestella. Prior to started Femestella, she worked at People, InStyle, and Tiger Beat. She’s currently obsessed with Vanderpump Rules, lipstick, and her kitty Tom.